Listen to article \u2022\u00a00:00 min<\/p>\n
On Wednesday night, two Flyers<\/a> fans from Fishtown<\/a>, Calvin and Collin, settled into their seats behind the Pittsburgh Penguins\u2019 penalty box for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. They were there to celebrate Calvin\u2019s birthday; the tickets were a present from his wife, Alley.<\/p>\n The fans expected to catch a competitive game, and hopefully, a Flyers win. What they didn\u2019t expect was to become an internet meme by the end of the first period.<\/p>\n But that is precisely what happened.<\/p>\n With only one minute and 13 seconds remaining, Penguins center Sidney Crosby fell to the ice. Boos rained down as the referees tried to litigate the situation. <\/p>\n A few seconds earlier, Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway\u2018s stick hit Crosby\u2019s helmet. The Flyer was promptly sent to the penalty box for high-sticking, but so was Pittsburgh\u2019s future Hall of Famer, for embellishment.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n It was the first embellishment call of Crosby\u2019s 21-year career. Penguins head coach Dan Muse was beside himself. Crosby didn\u2019t seem too thrilled, either, and later told reporters he didn\u2019t agree with the call<\/a>.<\/p>\n Most Flyers fans, however, did agree with the call, including Collin, who requested his last name remain anonymous. At first, he didn\u2019t know what had happened, so he looked up at the screen, only to see Crosby \u201cflailing everywhere.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cAnd then I was like, \u2018Oh, come on … are you serious? Come on. Let\u2019s play hockey,\u2019\u201d Collin said.<\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler walked away from the NHL, came back, and now has his first playoff goal<\/a><\/p>\n The salesman, who was born and raised as a \u201c4-for-4\u201c Philadelphia sports fan in Downingtown<\/a>, had long seen high-profile players like Crosby get a more lenient ruling from officials.<\/p>\n In his mind, justice had finally been served. So, from his seat behind the far right corner of the penalty box, the fan from Fishtown yelled over to the Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n \u201cI said something like, \u2018This is a hockey game. This isn\u2019t theater!\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cOr something like that. You know, \u2018Night out at the theater.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n He flashed the Penguins center an incredulous smile, and then, Crosby turned around, and smiled back.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was me just reacting to the situation,\u201d Collin said. \u201cWith, you know, the flailing. It was just like him being a baby.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s some of the gamesmanship, like they call it in soccer. Those little ways that you can try to get a penalty, which gives your team an advantage. And he didn\u2019t get away with it this time. And I think he knew, when you saw his little reaction.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s obviously a future Hall of Famer, and has been a great rival for the Flyers for a long time. It\u2019s nice to see us get the upper hand, at least for now.\u201d<\/p>\n